Unprecedented rush hits Srinagar Hospitals

Authorities fail to upgrade rural health

Srinagar, Nov 08 (KNS): Unprecedented rush of attendants with patients mars the functioning of Srinagar hospitals and creates heavy mess there.
Contrary to the claims of government that all is well in health sector, the condition of SMHS Hospital is pathetic, resulting in mess and chaos there.
Sources said, thousands of people visit the SMHS Hospital on an average daily, creating mess and chaos there.
Officials said, patients from periphery areas have to rely on this hospital due to lack of proper infrastructure in other hospitals.
After assessment by this Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent, it was found hundreds of people were moving here and there inside the corridors and creating mess and commotion inside the hospital in the evening hours.
Attendants accompanying with patients were taking meals on the corridors and creating hindrance in walking of visitors. Amidst this rush, patients find it difficult even to walk through the corridor.
Stating that present mess has resulted owing to lack of monitoring that has allowed attendants to let go inside hospitals without any restriction, a senior medico said, “authorities have failed to reduce the attendants rush like in other hospitals as a precautionary measure for the patients”.
“Visitors in groups stand hurdled around kerosene stoves to cook meals in the evening hours, as every patient comes with at least five attendants. There are no restrictions on the attendants, who accompany in large numbers with their patients,” said an official of hospital.
He believes, there always remains the risk that patients might get infected as they carry number of attendants with them and create suffocation inside wards.
“Come at evening, you will see hundreds of people lying across the corridors and in wards of the hospital,” an official at Bone and Joint Hospital Barzalla told this reporter. “Does this look like a hospital? I feel as I am on the busy street. This is so chaotic and irritating.”
While the attendants accompanying the patients have a different say about the matter.
“My son is admitted here for the past three days. We have no relative in Srinagar and we are too poor to stay at the hotel. So we cook meals inside the premises of hospital,” said Showkat Ahmad, a resident of Handwara, Kupwara.
He said, he had to bring his son from the local hospital as the hospital was lacking basic infrastructure there.
A senior official on the condition of anonymity said, “Hospitals in Srinagar are overloaded with the patients and with their attendants coming from periphery areas, which at times become difficult for the management to manage. People should listen their conscience for not creating chaos inside the hospitals,” he suggested. (KNS)